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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23777317">Blue as Flame</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kale12/pseuds/Kale12'>Kale12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU 8th Year, F/M, Fix-It, Growing Up is Hard, Introspective Ramblings, Oblivious Hermione Granger, Pining Harry Potter, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:33:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,470</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23777317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kale12/pseuds/Kale12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which love is inevitable, and Ron plays reluctant hero.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>260</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best of Harmony</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Blue as Flame</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Honestly,” Ron grumbled, working his way expertly through a full English, “you’d think all this SPEW nonsense would be behind us by now.”</p>
<p>Harry raised an eyebrow at his best friend incredulously. “Mate, do you actually listen to anything your girlfriend says? Or are you too busy admiring yourself in your new uniform?”</p>
<p>Ron did cut something of a dash in his well-tailored auror robes, a fact that was not lost on the many female occupants of the great hall, who signaled their approval largely in glances and giggles. Harry couldn’t help but feel just the slightest twinge of envy - his own school uniform, Head Boy badge notwithstanding, didn’t quite give off the same air of authority. </p>
<p>Ron grinned good-naturedly. “I can’t help how I look in them, now can I? Besides, between auror training and Mione’s, well, <em>everything</em>, it’s not as though we’ve had time to do more than exchange a few owls.”</p>
<p>Harry, having witnessed firsthand the discrepancy between the length of Hermione’s dense letters and Ron’s own hurried scrawls, couldn’t help but feel the injustice of the mark. After all, it was Harry who had to watch Hermione try and brush off her disappointment with each hasty note that she received. And when she threw herself into work instead - her head girl duties, her various spellcrafting projects, private alchemy lessons with Perenelle Flamel, and her dozens of social causes besides - it was Harry who quietly made sure she ate and slept. He was also not above joining forces with Luna and kidnapping her for an afternoon drowsing by the lake. </p>
<p>“I’m just saying, it’s the first weekend off I’ve had in months. A couple hours off of SPEW isn’t too much to ask, is it?” Ron asked earnestly.</p>
<p>“First off, it isn’t <em> spew</em>,” Harry sighed. “And secondly, she’s actually doing some pretty brilliant stuff. It’d be worth talking to her about it before you dismiss it as just more schoolwork.” </p>
<p>Ron shook his head, a rueful expression on his face. “And now you’re starting to sound like her, too! I still don’t understand why you wanted to come back to Hogwarts when Kingsley all but begged you to join up.”</p>
<p>“Harry’s become quite the social crusader, Ron,” Ginny teased, plunking down at the table next to Harry. </p>
<p>“Our Harry? Have you taken up knitting elf hats, then?” He turned to his sister when Harry only rolled his eyes. “Hullo, Gin. Where’s Nev?”</p>
<p>Gin sniffed before reaching across the table to snag a piece of sausage off her brother’s plate. “Really, Ron, can’t you be bothered to even ask how your favorite sister is doing? You haven’t seen me in a month.”</p>
<p>Ron smacked her hand before she could reach for another piece. “Oy, get your own. And Nev was my friend before he was your boyfriend, I’ll have you know.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but he likes me much better than he ever liked you,” she smirked, gracefully settling back to fill up her own plate. “Hermione wants me to tell you that she’s ever so sorry to keep you waiting, but she’s made a breakthrough and she’ll be down as soon as she can.”</p>
<p>Hurt flashed briefly across Ron’s face, but he hid it well, continuing instead to banter with Ginny. A year ago, Ron likely would have let his temper get the best of him; it appeared that auror training had been a mostly positive experience. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been strange to be back at Hogwarts without Ron. It was impossible to walk down a hallway and not turn to look for him, or to sit in the Gryffindor common room and not feel the tug of something missing. It was strange being back at all; the entire castle seemed like a collection of shrines. </p>
<p>It was different in the heads’ suite, though. Sharing a space with Hermione felt familiar and safe in a way that nothing else had after the war. A weight lifted from him as soon as he walked through their door, some version of a Thief’s Downfall, stripping bare his pretenses and the crushing expectations of everyone around them. At least at Hogwarts he was somewhat shielded from the press; if he had thought that defeating Voldemort would grant him some modicum of immunity, he was quickly disabused by the first lurid crop of headlines. He could barely set foot in the ministry without the Prophet speculating on his plans for a coup. </p>
<p>He was thankful for his Head Boy status - it allowed him the polite fiction that the excessive deference he received was more due to his badge than the idea of his still being marked by destiny for some greater purpose. As far as he was concerned, he had fulfilled whatever expectations were laid on him by fate; he suspected he could be well satisfied spending the rest of his life in Hermione Granger’s shadow. </p>
<p>And during quiet evenings by the fire, both of them lingering well past bedtime in meandering conversation, he suspected he might be happiest of all living his life within sight of her actual shadow. </p>
<p>It was easier to breathe when Hermione was around. Easier to make plans and give his ideas shape, and feel like he might finally have some say in what came next. He couldn’t help but get swept up in her own enthusiasm, as well. </p>
<p>“They’re just waiting for me to fail, of course,” she confided to Harry, leaning against him in a way he knew would cause his leg to fall asleep in short order. Not that he’d move a muscle. “I’m a woman, and a muggleborn, and they all want to know <em> what exactly did I do to defeat Voldemort?</em> In exactly that condescending tone. But I won't,” she said fiercely, sitting up ramrod straight and peering into Harry’s face. “I’m going to make them choke on their words. I’m already so close to finishing the fulfillment spell, Professor Flamel says my calculations only need a little tweaking, and Professor Vector thinks I’ll be able to start testing it soon! She thinks I ought to start testing on the house elves first, but consent with elves is just so...murky. I’d much rather use human volunteers. Do you think I ought to set up some sort of research council to oversee ethical testing protocols? There’s no way wizards have even thought about scientific standardization,” she said scornfully. </p>
<p>Harry knew from long experience that there were at least seven minutes left of this particular rant, so he would settle in to watch the play of firelight on her hair, and the animation of her face, and rapid whip of her hands as she gathered steam. </p>
<p>His own confessions tended to be a little less explosive, ventured in the almost-dark and almost-silence, when he could drop his head on her shoulder and pretend it was permissible, that their physical affection was unremarkable simply because it had always been. “Sometimes I think it was some sort of fluke that I came back. That some other me did all those things, and I’m just a fraud who snuck back in his place. I thought I was done being important and now I’m scared they’ll never let me be.”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid you’ll always be vital to some of us, Harry,” she had said lightly on that particular occasion, smoothing his brow and pressing a chaste kiss to the crown of his head. </p>
<p>With such tenderness in her hands and on her lips, Harry guiltily wondered what there could possibly be left for Ron. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well what else have you been up to, mate?” Ron asked jovially, startling Harry out of his reverie. </p>
<p>“Oh, you know. Keeping the firsties from accidentally killing each other, NEWTS, quidditch.” <em> Daydreaming about your girlfriend, wondering if she’d move to Godric’s Hollow with me, wondering whose hair would be worse to pass on to our children</em>. “You’ll come up for the Slytherin match next month, won’t you? We missed you at the last one,” he added hurriedly, praying Ron hadn’t somehow picked up legilimency since he’d been gone. </p>
<p>“Course I will,” Ron grinned, expression turning wistful. “I do miss having a proper match. The trainees do pick-up games sometimes, but it’s not the same. Think I can convince Hermione to wear my old jersey?”</p>
<p>Harry’s stomach lurched, and he very nearly protested. Thankfully, Ginny did it for him.  </p>
<p>“She can’t!” she exclaimed, hair whipping about her face as she turned from Neville. </p>
<p>“Why the bloody hell not?” demanded Ron, beginning to flush a dull red. </p>
<p>“Because she’s been wearing Harry’s for every practice and all our matches, and we’ve been unbelievable. She’s our lucky charm, now.”</p>
<p>“Ginny,” Ron said slowly, clearly biting back stronger emotion. “Hermione’s been to nearly every game since our first year, and we’ve definitely lost a few of those.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but those times she wasn’t wearing Harry’s jersey.” </p>
<p>Ron looked over at Harry with an unreadable expression, and Harry struggled to keep his tone light. “You know how superstitious this lot is,” he shrugged. “They’d revolt.”</p>
<p>“Harry, mate” said Ron, in a calm, steady voice that did nothing at all for Harry’s nerves. “I think we need to-”</p>
<p>“HARRY!” came a shriek from across the hall. Hermione was practically towards the Gryffindor table, heedless of the students gawking at her from across the hall. “Harry, I did it! I finally did it!”</p>
<p>Harry forgot about Ron behind him. The entire room fell away and all he could see was Hermione’s glowing, proud face haloed by her dark curls. He didn’t even think before opening his arms to her and swinging her about, both of them laughing madly. </p>
<p>“It works! The spell works!” She waved her hands about in excitement, nearly dropping her wand. “I mean, I know I’ve still got ever so much testing and I really ought to adjust -oh! Oh, Ron!” She stopped abruptly, unfortunately noticing her boyfriend for the first time. She tried to wriggle free from Harry’s grasp, but he couldn’t make himself release her. He did, however, force himself to meet his best friend’s eyes. </p>
<p>“Ron, I-” he started hoarsely, only to be cut off immediately.</p>
<p>“What does the spell do, Hermione?” Ron asked gently, ignoring Harry completely. </p>
<p>“Oh!” she said again, startled. “It’s what I’ve been writing to you about, it tells you if a being feels...feels cared for. Fulfilled, I suppose. I mean, obviously it’s an incredibly subjective bit of magic, and I’m still not sure if I picked the appropriate variables -”</p>
<p>“So how does it work, then? What happens if a person feels that way?” It sounded as though it pained him to ask the question, but Harry still couldn’t move a muscle. </p>
<p>“Sort of a bright light, just for a few seconds. Blue is the best, and that’s been the most consistent so far.”</p>
<p>“Is it safe?”</p>
<p>“Well, yes, it seems to be. I’ve cast it on myself a few times, and it’s worked every time.”</p>
<p>“Will you cast it on yourself now, please?”</p>
<p>“Right now? But why?” She looked up at him, concerned and confused. </p>
<p>“Please, Hermione,” he asked softly. “I just need to be sure.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” she said slowly, waving her wand in an intricate pattern. “<em>Contentus revelare</em>.”</p>
<p>A brilliant blue surrounded Hermione like a flame, shining and silvery about the edges, until it winked out as suddenly as it had appeared. </p>
<p>“That...that means you’re happy, right?” Ron stared at her intently.</p>
<p>“Yes,” she breathed, still a little lost. </p>
<p>Ron finally looked back up at Harry, appraising him for a long while before seeming to make up his mind. “That can’t ever change, do you hear me?”</p>
<p>“Ron,” Harry said, feeling a surge of emotion rise through him. </p>
<p>“I mean it,” he said fiercely. “For the rest of our lives, swear it.”</p>
<p>Harry felt like he couldn’t breathe. “I swear,” he choked out finally. “I swear, Ron, I’ll build my whole life around it.”</p>
<p>“Ron, Harry, someone explain, please.” Hermione pleaded.</p>
<p>“Fancy a walk around the lake, Hermione? For old times’ sake? We’ve got some things to straighten out, you and I.” Ron offered her his arm, and Harry caught a sudden flash of the man he was becoming - gallant and grown-up and steady - in the still-gangly body of his redheaded best friend. “I’ll bring her back soon,” he said to Harry, before they walked away, leaving whispers in their wake. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Hermione crept back into their room that evening, eyes rimmed red, looking like Harry felt. Guilt and relief and sorrow all warred for position on her lovely face, and it was all he could do not to run to her immediately. </p>
<p>“Who would have thought Ron would be the most perceptive of us?” she croaked, before starting to cry again, and this time Harry let himself wrap his arms around her. “I hate that I hurt him.”</p>
<p>“I do, too,” Harry said, kissing the top of her head as he had so many times before, but it felt different this time. </p>
<p>“I feel so stupid,” she said, voice muffled from where she was pressed against his chest. “<em>Ron</em>, of all people, having to tell me I’m in love with you.”</p>
<p>Harry squeezed her tighter, trying to hold back a bright smile. “There are so many important things mucking about in that giant brain of yours, it’s alright that you miss a few details.”</p>
<p>“Like you being in love with me, too?”</p>
<p>“Very much so,” he said solemnly.</p>
<p>“I’m scared,” she whispered. “What if I fail at us, too?”</p>
<p>He gently pushed her shoulders back, and lifted up her chin until he could see her bright brown eyes. “You won’t. <em> We </em> won’t. Ron won’t let us.”</p>
<p>She kissed his cheek gently. “You get a real one when I don’t feel like a terrible person anymore.”</p>
<p>“I can wait,” he whispered, content for the moment to merely hold her. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Match day dawned bright and clear, and the stands were thronged with bright, eager faces, decked out in house colors. </p>
<p>“Well if it isn’t Gryffindor’s lucky charm,” came a familiar voice. </p>
<p>“Ron! You came!” Hermione leapt up to hug him, reveling in the joy of seeing him again, and in feeling settled and sure, free of the pricklings of guilt and uncertainty. </p>
<p>“I couldn’t very well miss it, now could I? Team looks to be in fine form. Have you got your lucky jersey on, then?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” she laughed, showing off the ‘Potter’ on her back. “But they’ve got me loaded up with all sorts of things - I’ve got Demelza’s leg warmers, and a hair ribbon of Ginny’s. I swear they add something new each week.”</p>
<p>“Looks good on you,” he said lightly. “Harry keeping his promise?”</p>
<p>“Near enough to always,” she said serenely, as they both looked up to watch the boy in question somersault through the air. </p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Honestly, these crazy kids have been through too much together to not be able to work through a little emotional upheaval. I don't feel like we get to see enough mature!Ron, and I also wanted just wanted to ramble about post-war feelings. AS USUAL. </p>
<p>Also I just couldn't get a satisfactory kissing scene written so I'm sorry and maybe I'll have to tack on some sort of part two if my brain cooperates.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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